Is anybody REALLY happy?

Patience and research are the keys to happiness. I too, was in the corporate world and thanks to mergers and downsizing, I moved into trucking as a means to earn a living for my family. I researched the hell out of everything, and went in with no expectations of easy money. I was lucky enough to hire on with a small-ish (125 trucks) locally based company. Spent 18 months with them (4 months OTR-van and 14 months tankers). Just a couple of months ago I moved on to large LTL freight carrier pulling sets. I live 29 miles from my terminal. I leave my house at 8:30pm and am back home by 7am Mon night -Fri night (Sat morn). I take home an average of $1200/wk. It is a good job, with little for me to complain about.

Ignore those that say you absolutely must subject yourself to a poverty stricken existence being treated like a second class citizen. You have no need to settle for that, if you are willing to apply yourself , do some research, and realize that there are more than 10 trucking companies in the USA.

I was a complete newbie to the industry 26 months ago. I have always worked hard, been treated with respect, and earned a decent living since entering the industry. Sure, there are a lot of unhappy drivers out there, but you don't need to be one of them.

 

You may be OK with sleeping in the truck, but I'm not sure you understand what that really means. Hubby and I have been team drivers for 2 years now. I was simply a rider for a year and a half before that. The first year and a half was quite an experience, he would drive his 11 hrs, then we would be stopped for 10. Plenty of time for showers, laundry, SLEEP, etc. And plenty of time together. Driving as a team, we drive a minimum of 8 hrs each, very often, I drive 9, he drives 11, rinse, repeat. He gets his full break in because of my post trip and having a meal. Since the truck is moving up to 22hrs a day, that means you have to sleep while he drives and vice-versa. Believe me, sleeping while the truck is bouncing down the road is not easy!! The ride in a truck is nothing like riding in a car, you feel every bump, pot hole, seam in the road!! Like one of the others said, you get used to seeing each other when you swap out. And unfortunately, most of the cool things YOU see, he will miss, and most of the cool things HE sees, you will miss!!

Best of luck to you.

 

Something else you might want to consider are moving companies. Its a whole lot of work besides driving. You spend two or three long days packing the house and loading it, then you drive, then you spend another long day or two loading everything into the new house and unpacking it. But I believe those teams do pretty well for themselves at the end of the year.

 

If you got some one saying they made 200k they're first year out?, make them prove it!, I'd call BS, just not going to happen, rookies that go out with a big company that offers a lease deal with rookies, Well!, possible there gross may get there,(Id still dout it), but there net is far less, If you and your spouse are making 70k a year, not sure if that 140k together or just 70k together, but if your both doing 70k a year?, I would change, you will probably do that together driving as a team your first year out, a total of 70k, thats just the fact

 

Those that dive into this for the money (or out of desperation for money), have less a chance of succeeding at it. Those that embrace it for what it is, especially for the first few years, typically do well. Be aware your muster will be tested many times and when it is, suck it up and sally forth.